Divergent
by AcrossFandoms
Summary: A series of oneshots and scenarios in which Tris considers or discovers her divergency. Everything is from her PoV.
1. I am Divergent

I consider myself in the mirror. A petite, athletic girl with grey-blue eyes. My gazes drifts to my tattoos.

One, two, three. Three ravens flying across by collarbone, away from my heart. Three ravens to remind of those I've left behind. Mom, Dad, and Caleb.

A flame surrounded by a circle of flames on one shoulder. I am Dauntless. I am strong, and I shall always protect those I love.

A hand holding onto another as if a person helping another stand on my other shoulder. I am Abnegation. I do not deny the existence of others less fortunate. Neither do I leave them to fend for themselves. I do what I can to make life better.

Dauntless, Amity, and Abnegation are not very different. In courage, there is selflessness. In selflessness, there is peacefulness. Candor and Erudite are also similar, for both involve knowledge. One focuses on knowledge of truth and laws. The other emphasizes a more material knowledge. But it is all knowledge. Everything is connected, but I still haven't yet figured how Candor and Erudite connect to Dauntless, Amity, and Abnegation.

One day I shall add another raven for another I hold very dear to my heart. Tobias. He shall be the one closet to my heart or equal to my mother. Both understand me and accept me for who I am.

And who am I? I am Tris Prior. I am Dauntless, Abnegation, and Erudite. I am brave, selfless, and a thinker. At least, I try to be. Even though I'm not cut for Candor or Amity, I value what they value: truth and peace. I am Divergent.


	2. Truly Divergent

Truly Divergent: Background Info

AU, but following the movie's events. Told in Tris' POV.

The Beatrice Prior everyone knew was a changeling. Meanwhile, the real Beatrice, renamed Tris, was raised in a secret community. A community of factionless who has learned to put together each Faction's strengths to make a society that works together.

* * *

When I was but a babe, I was switched out for a fake. A changeling that looked exactly like me. I don't even know how changelings exist. Maybe it's a clone copy. I don't know why I was switched out, and I was raised with the factionless. At the age of fifteen, I chose to live on my own. In secret, I've learned to connect with my twin, to sense whatever my twin senses. If my twin is physically wounded, I get the same wounds. And yet, it is only a one way connection.

I sit in my room. I close my eyes and focus. My twin is her own person, but I'm good at influencing her. Today is the aptitude test. Perspiration drips from my forehead, but I don't notice it. I'm too busy focusing on the simulation.

After I hear the results, I exit from my twin's head. I've had enough. _Divergent_ , I whisper to myself. _Not surprising since I've had to think for myself for most of my life. And I've been taught something from someone of each faction._

The Choosing Ceremony will be tomorrow, so I eat and sleep. Manipulating my twin is hard, and I'm going to have to do it for a while.

The next morning, I awake refreshed. After a hearty meal, I prepare for another draining day. I soon see everything in my mind's eye. I almost feel like I'm there. I know how she feels. She's trapped. She longs for the freedom and strength I have, but she doesn't know why. And yet, she feels loyal towards her parents, my parents.

I immerse myself into her very being, giving her resolve. She must be free and strong. When our name is called, she allow her to walk slowly to the five bowls.

 _Dauntless, choose Dauntless_. I whisper to her mind, disguising myself as just another voice in her head. _You know who you are, Divergent. Abnegation will kill you, eventually, but Dauntless will give you life. And isn't that what your parents want?_

Her mind answers, _But my parents, they are depending on me. Already, Caleb has transferred to Erudite. Must they bear the pain of me leaving them?_

 _They can bear it, for they once transferred. You are Divergent. You can choose without fear. Dad mayn't be that happy for a while, but Mom loves you no matter what._ I argue, seeing that she was seriously considering staying. _For goodness sake! Abnegation would be a death sentence! You know that! You can't live the way they want._

Her blood drops on the carpet. Then to my satisfaction, I hear a hiss on black coals. One day, I shall meet my twin. What shall happen then? I don't know.

I continue detecting what my twin senses, but let her make her own decisions. Every now and then, I whisper a few tips. That last thing I need is for her to die because of me. After surviving the jump from the train to the rooftop, she and a new friend of hers gather with the remaining initiates.

I zone out until I hear, "Well, someone has to go first? Who's it going to be?" An uneasy silence falls over the group. I surprise my twin into saying, "Me."

The Dauntless didn't particularly like Abnegation, but I wanted to prove them that we were not Abnegation anymore. I tell my twin as she gazes at the gaping hole, _Don't think about the jump. Logically, they wouldn't want to kill you. It's a test. Just step out and breathe._ I advise her. I haven't done a jump like this before, but I know how to approach the unknown. Relax and breathe.

I feel the air hissing around me. I'm falling, and it feels kind of good. Then something stops me, forcing me upwards. Like a trampoline. I carefully focus on my twin's emotional reaction. Everything was just right. She gasps when she hits the net and chuckles in happiness, realizing what she's done. Then, the net jerks and I (I say, I, because my twin and I are currently like one) roll to the edge. Piercing eyes, blue as the waning twilight, meet my pale, silver-blue eyes.

"What, you get pushed?" he asks gravely.

Still astounded by his eyes, I managed to shake my head. He helps me down before asking, "What's your name?"

I knew my name, but my twin didn't. I allow her to hesitate, whispering that Beatrice doesn't work since she's Dauntless now. _Tris,_ I hint. _Tris._ Then leaving my twin to herself, I take one more glimpse at the man's face before withdrawing from my twin's head.

I'm just too tired out to do anything else. I only rest long enough for the rest of the initiates to jump in. When a few minutes pass, I return to my twin's mind so that I can find out what the Dauntless compound looks like and figure out some names. As soon as the tour of the compound is over, I retreat out of her head. I am so tired. My body and mind aches from so much exertion. Soon, I drift into a deep sleep.

Over the next few weeks, I avoid my few friends. I spend my time in my personal training room, which I had built. It was just a punching bag from an abandoned gym and a window to jump out of. Well, the window led to an obstacle course. Besides, if I interfered with her life too much, people would suspect something was amiss, especially in the physical training. I was already a good fighter, having learned from a former Dauntless member. I mainly avoided society because of numerous bruises and fatigue from checking on my twin every so often. Also, I couldn't help trying to see Four again. He was mysterious and handsome. A heartthrob, and I'm sure others know it as well.

* * *

(Scene in which Tris is in the infirmary after her fight with Peter)

She sits in her bed, thinking. She's out. That's what Will and Christina said, but I'm not letting off the hook that easily. She's supposed to get on that train with the rest of the Dauntless initiates.

 _Get up, get dressed, and get out of here_. I practically order. Then I hear her arguing. _You are Dauntless, and you won't give up so easily._

That fires her off in way that reminds her of me. Wait, she is me, sort of. Through her senses, I know she's going. I pay attention to all her surroundings. I know what they're going to play. Capture the Flag. Just like the last couple of years and at the same place. I get out of her mind. Straightening up my living quarters, I dress. As I change, I notice the tattoos she got, now also on me. I know why she chose them, and I like her reasons. Before I set off, I name each bird while gently touching them, whispering, "Mom, Dad and Caleb. Blood before Faction."

* * *

We stand face to face. One of us is real, and the other is a mirror image. Everything is identical, excepting our clothing. Hers is new, and mine are almost rags. It's almost disconcerting to see a person who looks like you standing in front of you. I don't know how long we stood thus. Maybe a minute, maybe twenty. I managed to call her into an alley while she was lagging behind her group. And so, I met her.

She holds out a hand and smiles, "Hi."

I slowly smile back and accept her hand. Suddenly, she's gone. I look down at myself. I'm wearing her clothes. Then she whispers, _We are one. This time, it's my turn to be in your head. And I will always be there for you._ All her memories, which I chose to not know though I could have, become mine as well. I grin widely. Everything makes sense. I want to dance, sing, shout, anything, but I can't with people in earshot. My twin learned what it meant to be selfless, to control herself, to be herself when with society (something I never learned). And me, I learned to be Divergent: to think, be charitable, peaceful, and brave. And now, she and I are one. I am truly Divergent.


	3. By Definition

**Author's Note:** _ **Probably AU. Also, this is more of an essay, but there are some interesting thoughts. So, read if you care.**_

 _Divergent (adj.): tending to be different or develop in different directions_

* * *

By definition, being divergent simply means being different. I think everyone is Divergent. Each person is unique, different from another. Everyone is able to think for himself/herself. Everyone can decide to tell the truth, be brave, love others, maintain peace, and seek for knowledge. Therefore, everyone is Divergent.

There is nothing wrong with being different. It's what makes everyone human. I don't understand the faction division or the whole society, for that matter. It's like a certain group of people decided to cause our city of Chicago to think in one way. And that is by categorizing each person. Of course, the history textbooks tell another story. A story everyone knows. There was a war, which was started by weaknesses. To eliminate those weaknesses, the factions began.

Weaknesses marks humanity. Everyone has one, no matter how much they wish to deny it. It never goes away. Some weaknesses turn to strength. Some are downfalls. There are different types of weaknesses. And there's nothing wrong with that. Some weaknesses should be gotten rid of, like those that cause a person to think and act wrongfully.

Now, let's think of another aspect of divergence. What causes some to develop an aptitude for a faction? Training. Every child in every Faction is trained the way their parents live. That doesn't mean one can have other interests or passions. For example, there's me. In Abnegation, I have learned to be selfless from my parents and faction. Not to the extremes, of course. But, I've learned to think of others and their needs. And there's nothing wrong with that. But the faction is one is raised in doesn't mean that that person has to stay in it. Obviously, those who transfer to another faction think that way.

What does the aptitude test measure? It measures your responses to situations to place you into a faction, but it doesn't decide whether or not you transfer. The strange thing about the test is that aptitude means skill. A thirst for knowledge doesn't mean skill in using or comprehending knowledge.

What does all of this mean? It means that divergence is, or should be, a normal thing. It means that divergence is not to be overlooked, but valued. A thousand years ago, I suspect divergence was common to every man, and being divergent wasn't a crime. In the world I live in, I don't understand how people think that everyone can only think according to their faction. It's almost like they are living in a lie. A lie that tells them that being different is a crime.

In consideration of all this, I am glad I am classified as divergent. I'm different, and I'm proud of it.


End file.
